scholarly journals The potential direct economic impact and private management costs of an invasive alien species: Xylella fastidiosa on Lebanese wine grapes

NeoBiota ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 70 ◽  
pp. 43-67
Author(s):  
Michel Frem ◽  
Vincenzo Fucilli ◽  
Franco Nigro ◽  
Maroun El Moujabber ◽  
Raied Abou Kubaa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Economic Impact ◽  
Xylella Fastidiosa ◽  
Recovery Period ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Wine Grapes ◽  
Management Options ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
East Region ◽  
Public Costs ◽  
Private Management

Since its outbreak in 2013 in Italy, the harmful bacterium Xylella fastidiosa has continued to spread throughout the Euro-Mediterranean basin and, more recently, in the Middle East region. Xylella fastidiosa subsp. fastidiosa is the causal agent of Pierce’s disease on grapevines. At present, this alien subspecies has not been reported in Lebanon but if this biological invader was to spread with no cost-effective and sustainable management, it would put Lebanese vineyards at a certain level of risk. In the absence of an Xylella fastidiosa subsp. fastidiosa outbreak, the gross revenue generated by Lebanese wine growers is estimated as close to US$22 million/year for an average period of 5 years (2015–2019). The potential quantitative economic impacts of an Xylella fastidiosa subsp. fastidiosa outbreak and particularly, the private control costs have not been assessed yet for this country as well as for others which Xylella fastidiosa may invade. Here, we have aimed to estimate the potential direct economic impact on growers’ livelihoods and provide the first estimate of the private management costs that a theoretical Xylella fastidiosa subsp. fastidiosa outbreak in Lebanon would involve. For this purpose, we used a Partial Budget approach at the farm gate. For the country as a whole, we estimated that a hypothetical full spread of Xylella fastidiosa subsp. fastidiosa on Lebanese wine grapes would lead to maximum potential gross revenue losses of almost US$ 11 million for an average recovery period of 4 years, to around US$ 82.44 million for an average grapevine life span period of 30 years in which infected plants are not replaced at all. The first yearly estimated additional management cost is US$853 per potentially infected hectare. For a recovery period of 4 years, the aggregate estimated additional cost would reach US$2374/ha, while the aggregate net change in profit would be US$-4046/ha. Furthermore, additional work will be needed to estimate the public costs of an Xylella fastidiosa subsp. fastidiosa outbreak in Lebanon. The observed costs in this study support the concerned policy makers and stakeholders to implement a set of reduction management options against Xylella fastidiosa subsp. fastidiosa at both national and wine growers’ levels. This re-emerging alien biota should not be neglected in this country. This understanding of the potential direct economic impact of Xylella fastidiosa subsp. fastidiosa and the private management costs can also benefit further larger-scale studies covering other potential infection areas and plant hosts.

scholarly journals Controlling the Spatial Spread of a Xylella Epidemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 83 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sebastian Aniţa ◽  
Vincenzo Capasso ◽  
Simone Scacchi
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Structure ◽  
Numerical Simulations ◽  
Control Strategies ◽  
Xylella Fastidiosa ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Olive Tree ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Weed Biomass ◽  
Spatial Spread ◽  
Olive Trees

AbstractIn a recent paper by one of the authors and collaborators, motivated by the Olive Quick Decline Syndrome (OQDS) outbreak, which has been ongoing in Southern Italy since 2013, a simple epidemiological model describing this epidemic was presented. Beside the bacterium Xylella fastidiosa, the main players considered in the model are its insect vectors, Philaenus spumarius, and the host plants (olive trees and weeds) of the insects and of the bacterium. The model was based on a system of ordinary differential equations, the analysis of which provided interesting results about possible equilibria of the epidemic system and guidelines for its numerical simulations. Although the model presented there was mathematically rather simplified, its analysis has highlighted threshold parameters that could be the target of control strategies within an integrated pest management framework, not requiring the removal of the productive resource represented by the olive trees. Indeed, numerical simulations support the outcomes of the mathematical analysis, according to which the removal of a suitable amount of weed biomass (reservoir of Xylella fastidiosa) from olive orchards and surrounding areas resulted in the most efficient strategy to control the spread of the OQDS. In addition, as expected, the adoption of more resistant olive tree cultivars has been shown to be a good strategy, though less cost-effective, in controlling the pathogen. In this paper for a more realistic description and a clearer interpretation of the proposed control measures, a spatial structure of the epidemic system has been included, but, in order to keep mathematical technicalities to a minimum, only two players have been described in a dynamical way, trees and insects, while the weed biomass is taken to be a given quantity. The control measures have been introduced only on a subregion of the whole habitat, in order to contain costs of intervention. We show that such a practice can lead to the eradication of an epidemic outbreak. Numerical simulations confirm both the results of the previous paper and the theoretical results of the model with a spatial structure, though subject to regional control only.

scholarly journals Cost-of-illness for non-underweight binge-eating disorders

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul E. Jenkins
Keyword(s):  
Eating Disorders ◽  
Binge Eating ◽  
Economic Impact ◽  
Indirect Costs ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Level Of Evidence ◽  
Academic Impairment ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Binge Eating Disorders ◽  
Low Weight

Abstract Purpose This study examined economic costs associated with untreated eating disorders (EDs) characterised by regular binge eating in the absence of low weight. Both direct and indirect costs were assessed, reporting a limited societal perspective of economic impact as some costs were not included. Methods One hundred and twenty six adults seeking treatment for recurrent binge eating were asked to report impairment associated with an ED. Costs were calculated using 2017 prices, including an examination of variables associated with costs. Results Estimated societal costs for the year preceding assessment were £3268.47 (€3758.54) per person. In multivariate analyses, no reliable baseline associates of cost were identified. Conclusion The economic burden of EDs characterised by regular binge eating is significant, and underscores the need for efficacious and cost-effective treatments. Individuals with binge-eating disorders report work impairment and healthcare use that may cost the United Kingdom economy upwards of £3.5 billion (€4bn) per annum. Further studies should consider academic impairment and the economic impact of EDs on families. Level of evidence III: evidence obtained from well-designed cohort or case–control analytic studies.

Hosting annual international sporting events and tourism: Formula 1, golf or tennis?

2021 ◽  
pp. 135481662110290
Author(s):  
Bala Ramasamy ◽  
Howei Wu ◽  
Matthew Yeung
Keyword(s):  
United Kingdom ◽  
Economic Impact ◽  
Sporting Events ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Monthly Data ◽  
Mega Events ◽  
Sports Events ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Mega Sports Events

Hosting sports events to attract international tourists is a common policy practised by many host governments. Hosting mega-sports events like the Olympics is said to leave a legacy that could impact the attractiveness of a country/city in the long term. However, the opportunity to host these mega-events is limited and expensive. This study considers the economic impact of hosting annual international sporting events, specifically the extent to which Formula 1, ATP Tennis and PGA Golf can attract international tourists. Using monthly data from 1998 to 2018, we show that the effect differs from one sport to another within a country and the same sport across countries. Hosting the Formula 1 is most effective for Canada but has no significant impact in Australia and the United Kingdom. ATP Tennis and PGA Golf have a significant impact on at least two countries. Policy-makers must consider carefully the sport that gives the best bang-for-the-buck.

Major construction risk factors considered by general contractors in Qatar

2015 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 165-194 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdulaziz M. Jarkas ◽  
Theodore C. Haupt
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
The State ◽  
Risk Allocation ◽  
Relative Importance ◽  
Related Factors ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Construction Risk ◽  
General Contractors

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to identify, explore, rank the relative importance and determine the prevalent allocation response trends of the major construction risk factors considered by general contractors operating in the State of Qatar. Design/methodology/approach – A structured questionnaire survey comprising 37 potential risk factors was distributed to a statistically representative sample of contractors. The influence ranks of the factors explored were determined using the “Relative Importance Index (RII)” technique, whereas the prevalent trend of contractors’ attitudes toward risk allocation of each factor investigated was quantified and expressed as a percentage, based on the number of respondents who selected a specific option, in relation to the total number of respondents. Findings – The results obtained indicate that risks related to the “client” group are perceived as most critical, followed by the “consultant”, “contractor” and “exogenous” group-related factors, respectively. The outcomes further show that the “transfer” option is the contractors’ prevalent response to “client” and “consultant”-related risks, while the “retention” decision is the principal pattern linked to “contractor” and “exogenous” group-related risk factors. Research limitations/implications – The dominant respondents’ perception that the crucial construction risks are related to clients and consultants suggests that these two parties have an essential role in controlling the negative ramifications of the associated factors. Practical implications – The findings suggest that increasing designers’ awareness of the significant effect of applying the constructability concept can considerably help reducing the risks concomitant of the construction operation. Policy makers may contribute, moreover, in alleviating the risk of incompetent technical staff and operatives’ employment by controlling the migration of inexperienced and unskilled construction workforce into the State. Originality/value – Given the knowledge gap for the major construction risk factors considered by general contractors in Qatar, the results reported in this study can provide clients, industry practitioners and policy makers with guidance to effectively manage the significant risks determined, which can further assist in achieving a reasonable level of competitiveness and cost-effective operation.

scholarly journals The green bulkhead: a vertical wetland design for urban harbors

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 76-79
Author(s):  
Peter I May ◽  
Matthew Lagomarsino ◽  
Patrick Kangas
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality Management ◽  
Ecological Engineering ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Urban Setting ◽  
Washington Dc ◽  
Treatment Wetland ◽  
Management Options ◽  
Engineering Project ◽  
Vertical Orientation ◽  
The Matrix

In urban harbors there is a reliance on the “gray infrastructure” of armored bulkheads along shorelines. While this form of shoreline technology provides stability and eliminates erosion, it limits shoreline biodiversity and lacks aesthetic value. In this paper, a living shoreline concept, termed the Green Bulkhead, is described and demonstrated. This is a kind of artificial vertical wetland with plants grown in a porous plastic fabric that is draped over the surface of an existing bulkhead. The system is irrigated with water that is pumped from the harbor. Several alternate designs have been tested for different medium types, planting patterns and water pumping regimes. It is proposed that the green bulkhead system can provide limited treatment wetland services in an urban setting where cost-effective water quality management options are minimal. Testing found that high percentages of sediment were retained within the matrix of the different media. The system has aesthetic benefits by “greening” the harbor environment with wetland plants and, because of its vertical orientation, it can be managed adaptively for sea level rise. This work is a report of an on-going ecological engineering project with demonstrations along the Baltimore, Maryland Inner Harbor and the Anacostia Waterfront in Washington, DC.

scholarly journals The economics of mental health in the workplace: what do we know and where do we go?

2007 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 294-298 ◽  
Author(s):  
David McDaid
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Grey Literature ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Poor Mental Health ◽  
Health Interventions ◽  
Economic Evaluations ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Productivity Losses ◽  
Mental Health Interventions

AbstractTo provide an overview of the economic impact of poor mental health in the workplace and assess the extent to which economic evaluation has been used to further the case for investment in workplace based mental health programmes. Rapid scoping review of published and grey literature. The socio-economic costs of poor mental health in the workplace are substantial but conservative, as few studies have included productivity losses from work cutback, as well as absenteeism. While few economic evaluations of workplace based mental health interventions were identified, the available evidence base suggests that they have the potential to be highly cost effective. Much of this evidence may be from the US and be less applicable elsewhere; it may also have been solely published in company documents making assessment of methodological quality difficult. The potential economic case for workplace based mental health interventions appears good. More collaboration between policy makers and the private sector would help facilitate rigorous and transparent economic evaluations. A number of evaluations are planned. The challenge is to build on these initiatives, in order to address what remains a major gap in our knowledge on the economics of mental health.

scholarly journals Self-nudging and the citizen choice architect

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-31 ◽  
Author(s):  
SAMULI REIJULA ◽  
RALPH HERTWIG
Keyword(s):  
Goal Attainment ◽  
Behavioral Science ◽  
Personal Autonomy ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
The Self ◽  
Self Control ◽  
Control Problems ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
The Public ◽  
Scope Of Application

Abstract This article argues that nudges can often be turned into self-nudges: empowering interventions that enable people to design and structure their own decision environments – that is, to act as citizen choice architects. Self-nudging applies insights from behavioral science in a way that is practicable and cost-effective, but that sidesteps concerns about paternalism or manipulation. It has the potential to expand the scope of application of behavioral insights from the public to the personal sphere (e.g., homes, offices, families). It is a tool for reducing failures of self-control and enhancing personal autonomy; specifically, self-nudging can mean designing one's proximate choice architecture to alleviate the effects of self-control problems, engaging in education to understand the nature and causes of self-control problems and employing simple educational nudges to improve goal attainment in various domains. It can even mean self-paternalistic interventions such as winnowing down one's choice set by, for instance, removing options. Policy-makers could promote self-nudging by sharing knowledge about nudges and how they work. The ultimate goal of the self-nudging approach is to enable citizen choice architects’ efficient self-governance, where reasonable, and the self-determined arbitration of conflicts between their mutually exclusive goals and preferences.

The applications of Kaizen methods in project settings: applied study in Jordan

2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (5) ◽  
pp. 831-849
Author(s):  
Khalil Ahmad Al-Hyari ◽  
Mohammed Khair Abu Zaid ◽  
Omar Suleiman Arabeyyat ◽  
Laith Al-Qwasmeh ◽  
Mohamed Haffar
Keyword(s):  
Job Shop ◽  
Causal Effect ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Adequate Knowledge ◽  
Applied Study ◽  
Quality Control Tool ◽  
Fishbone Diagram

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the results of implementing the Kaizen approach in a caravan repairing project near the Jordanian–Syrian border in the Zaatari camp. Design/methodology/approach The study is based on the exploratory qualitative research approach. The data were collected through interviews and on-site observation with employees who were involved with the caravan maintenance project and have adequate knowledge and information about this project. In this process, a fishbone diagram, a quality control tool, is used to recognize and explain a causal-effect relationship under the selected Kaizen theme. Findings The findings suggest that the Kaizen approach was economical in terms of both money and time. Also, waste elimination can be achieved through a variety of tools and easily combined with the Kaizen approach. Implementing the Kaizen approach is an effective and reliable system that allows for the tackling of all types of inefficiencies in the caravan repairing project. Research limitations/implications The findings of this study will help policy makers and managers put together suitable and effective policies that will assist those firms in overcoming the demands of customers and competitors to deliver high quality, inexpensive products in less time through the application of the Kaizen approach. This, in turn, will lead to improved quality, efficiency and productivity in the most cost-effective way. However, these results should not be generalized since they are only confined to the context of caravan repairing project. Originality/value Very little research has been done that takes into account the contexts of developing countries. Additionally, most literature presents the use of Kaizen applications only in the manufacturing or production sectors. This study is the first to implement Kaizen as a continuous improvement technique in a caravan repairing project – a job shop industry different from the repetitive batch work environment that is usually associated with implementation of Kaizen. The current research should be of great interest to researchers, managers and professionals who wish to apply Kaizen approach as it is sustainable over time in similar projects.

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